Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-07-20
LIQUOR CRUSADE.
A Vigorous Attack on Saloons by the
Baltimore Catholic Clergy.

BALTIMORE, July 19th-A tremendous local
sensation has been caused here by the informa-
ton that an unexpected and bitterly vigorous
attack was made yesterday by the Rev. Father
Didier. of st. Nincents Church, on saloon
keepers for violating the Sunday law, and
against the liquor traffic in general. 1t is be-
lieved that this is only the first of a series of
similar pbilippics TO be preached from every
Catholic pulpit in this archdiocese. The cru
SADIE is undertaken at the instance of no less
parsonage than Cardinal Gibbons himself
when Father Didier began speaking the church
was, as usual, crowded to the doors. The por-
ton of the city in which the church is located
is oyer-supplied with saloons and his congre-
cation includes quite a number of saloon
keepers.
There are" he said, "too many saloons in
this parish. There is scarcely block in which
beer and whisky signs do not meet the eve
Every man who has nothing else to do opens a
tavern, and every vacant house is turned into a
saloon, to the disgrace of this part of the city
There are too many saloons and the number Of
saloons could be decreased if high license say
81 COO a year, was charged 10 open a saloon
The saloons are responsible for our young men
going astray by the thousands. They spend the
sundays i'll saloons, and in consequence the
churches are empty. But while the saloon
keepers are to blame for violating Sunday laws
the greater culpritS are the officers, who allow
the plain provisions of the laws TO be so openly
and so hagrantlv trampled on. Indeed, there
are some sSloou-keepers who openly boast that
they sell more liquor during Saturday night
than during all the rest of the week put together
Commissioners, as well as the Grand Jury,
must be blind if they are not fully aware
that the sunday law is shamefully broken
MercenaTy motives are at the bottom of this
false blindness. Their mouths are shut. as in
the time OF the Resurrection, when the Roman
soldiers were silenced by money or by the
promise of patronage or influence at elections
These paid officers of the law don't do their
duty. and the laws of the State are violated with
impunity The politicians are the ones to
blame for all this They blink at the yiolators
They tolerate them. They stop the mouths of
the police or protect them if neglectful in this
matter, so that beer and whisky rule the city
chiefly through the bosses and ward politicians
who are fattening on the poor, deceived work
saloonkeepers are needed at the polls to MAIN
tain their power. Sooner or later some great
calamity will be visited upon us unless we keep
the Sunday more becomingly. 1t is a crying
sin and Will be punished in visible manner
unless the evil is checked and halt is called"
In conclusion, the Reverend Father exhorted
all his congregation present to redouble their
prayers for better and more wholesome OBJ
servance of Sunday.
Father Didier's remarks produced a decided
effect, and are being eagerly discussed, not only
by the saloon-keepers affected but by all classes
throughout the city.
Some of Father Dfdier's parishioners are in
dignant. They claim that they are the heaviest
contributors to the church, and that some of the
memorial windows in the structure were placed
there in honor OF saloon keepers Father
Weber, of St. Michaers German Catholic
Church, has also commenced crusade against
the liquor traffic. 1t is understood that Cardi.
nal Gibbons has instituted the attack in con-
formity with the DEGREES of the recent Plenary
were read, and upon which Father Didier based
his remarks